Outlines the key factors to tell the difference between leaders and managers, including vision, challenging, communication and coaching.
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You may think that when you get promoted to a role where you are managing people that you automatically become a leader. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. You may think the two are the same, but there are big differences between being a manager and being a leader.
There are a number of important distinctions to remember – these could help you to become the great leader you’ve always aspired to be. When you reach the dizzy heights of being responsible for a team, it may be worth considering which you’d rather be.
Leaders create vision
Among one of the many characteristics of a leader is the fact they create vision, whereas a manager sets goals for people. A leader is capable of painting a picture of what they see as possible, and inspire people into turning those visions into a reality. They often think beyond what people do in their jobs day to day and encourage those to be part of something bigger.
On the other hand you have your managers. They set goals either on a monthly or quarterly basis for example, and focus on achieving and measuring these. They take a much more strategic way of meeting these goals.
Leaders can challenge
Often those who are managers are unable to break away from the status quo. They stick with what works and refine any pre-existing systems and processes to make them better. Leaders are here to make change and often challenge the status quo. They encourage those around them to do things differently and to think outside the box. The only potential downside is that depending on the organisation, this can sometimes rock the boat too much.
Leaders communicate well
You may assume that all types of managers and leaders know how to communicate well, but unfortunately this isn’t always true. Often those who lead are good at keeping their team informed of the journey they’re on, where they are, where you’re all heading. They are also good at sharing any problems the team may have encountered on the way to their goal.
Managers on the other hand, may only inform their team of their current situation when a problem arises, which can often lead to miscommunication among team members.
Leaders coach
This particular skill is very dependent on your personal style. Although leaders coach and managers direct, there are positives to both ways of managing people. Some team members react well to being coached and having someone there for them to answer questions or bounce ideas from. Others prefer a more direct way of being managed. A manager is good at assigning tasks and providing guidance on how to accomplish them.
Although there are positives to being a manager or a leader, there are distinct differences between the two. Whether you’re a permanent member of staff or coming from an interim management business, working out which one you are will help you home in on your skill set and be the best you can be for your team.
